Dec 13, 2020
TRAVERSE CITY â Making Traverse City Fire Department the cityâs primary emergency management services transport provider would be a costly undertaking.
Buying two new ambulances, as would be needed, would cost up to $500,000 for both, according to a study by TriData. Then, the city would need to spend $755,000 to $1,548,000 on staffing to add seven to nine employees to each shift. That doesnât include the costs of modifying Stations 1 and 2 to accommodate the larger crews.
Charging for services would cover some of the costs, but EMS transport rarely turns a profit, according to the study. The city could anticipate $484,000 in revenues for transport each year, and up to $338,000 if it charges for EMS first responder services without transport.